ICBC

[Donald G]

If you are going to drive to Alberta and intend to use your vehicle for working for pretty well any period of time best to check with your agent as to rates. Also if there is going to be a change in the principal operator in or out of the province.

When I loaned my vehicle to my son to tour in the US I had to change both the principle operator, the rate class and the the area to area X which is about the highest designation.

[my5cents]

If you are going to drive to Alberta and intend to use your vehicle for working for pretty well any period of time best to check with your agent as to rates. Also if there is going to be a change in the principal operator in or out of the province.

When I loaned my vehicle to my son to tour in the US I had to change both the principle operator, the rate class and the the area to area X which is about the highest designation.

Whole bunch of factors and needed information to determine if any changes would be needed.

In general, if you go to work on a temporary, and I mean temporary, (your a plumber who lives in BC and your BC company sends you to Calgary to complete a one month job, you pay taxes in BC, you have a residence in BC) your vehicle is correctly rated for the same use in BC as your using it in AB. You don't need to do a thing. Certainly check with an agent to help you sleep.

Principle operator is declared when you renew your insurance, if it's accurate it's fine. If you LOAN your vehicle, you are not changing the PO, the vehicle is just temporarily being used by someone that isn't a change in PO. If you change the PO, you even have to turn in your plates, it's not just a small modification in insurance.

If you son qualified for the same rate class as you, ie, ten years driving experience and he was just touring in the USA, I don't see a need to change PO, unless this was a permanent change. You didn't say how long he was touring for but even if it was for 4 or 5 months, the vehicle should still be registered at your residence in BC if you are the owner and the territory of use doesn't change because of a holiday. If he was working in the US and was going to be there for an extended time different story.

[hobbyguy]

The Quebec system has a government monopoly on basic coverage and allows private insurers to compete for other coverage.

Gee, that sounds exactly like BC. I can, and have bought private insurance for the coverage except the basic. My experience was that the savings for me, with the coverage I want, were minimal, and the hassle factor was much higher. My decision was that the hassle factor wasn't worth the minimal savings.

But if you really are all about saving a small amount of money - go for it - but be very, very careful that you don't "fib" or make an entry error that works in your favor - because when you need the insurance coverage provided - it will start getting "sticky". And read the policy fine print, you will find some differences to ICBC.

How many times have you been told that you will get something for nothing, and actually got it?

[Donald G]

To My5cents ...

My son was in a less experienced driving category and working steadily but intermittently on drilling rigs in various locations of the province. That is the reason the ICBC agent gave for raising the category to zone X which in so many words means "changing and unknown". Don't remember what I paid but we kept the same plate and paid a lot more than when I was the principle operator and the vehicle was being operated in Kelowna, but only occasionally by my son.

[my5cents]

The Quebec system has a government monopoly on basic coverage and allows private insurers to compete for other coverage.

Gee, that sounds exactly like BC. I can, and have bought private insurance for the coverage except the basic. My experience was that the savings for me, with the coverage I want, were minimal, and the hassle factor was much higher. My decision was that the hassle factor wasn't worth the minimal savings.

But if you really are all about saving a small amount of money - go for it - but be very, very careful that you don't "fib" or make an entry error that works in your favor - because when you need the insurance coverage provided - it will start getting "sticky". And read the policy fine print, you will find some differences to ICBC.

How many times have you been told that you will get something for nothing, and actually got it?

I'm in the same boat, hobbyguy, any small savings wasn't worth it. The exception was my motorcycle.

In the OK we obviously can't ride all year so we are into partial year insurance. ICBC nickels and dimes you with short policy surcharges, cancellation fees. What I need is comp and collision during the riding season and so type of storage insurance in the winter.

So with ICBC I had to buy a partial year basic and partial year comp and collision, then a partial year storage policy, but if I delayed putting plates on, lets say instead of putting the insurance on April 1st, I was busy or the weather was bad then the storage policy would run out, so how long do I extend it ? etc etc.

So I found a private policy that is priced that my bike is covered year round for comp and collision and is priced knowing that for about 5 or 6 months a year the bike is locked in my garage (storage insurance). They private company doesn't worry if I start driving it in June or April. All I have to worry about buying is my basic liability with an increase to a couple of million.

As for Quebec, being "exactly the same". Sorry, no.

For starters, Quebec has a no fault system, meaning a person injured in an accident can't sue the person who was responsible for hurting them, period.

The Quebec government insures everyone for injury. If you're hurt in a car accident it's like Work Safe BC is here for compensation. You get medical and wage loss, but you can't sue who was responsible.

The Quebec government does NOT sell property damage insurance, unlike in BC where ICBC sells that as well.

You have to buy private property liability insurance, ie you hit another car that insurance pays for the dent you caused.

Also you need liability insurance in case you are driving outside of Quebec where there isn't no fault insurance, so you have to buy that liability insurance as well.

Then if you want to insure your own car for collision (if you smack it up) and or comprehensive, that again is sold by the private sector.

So in the case of Quebec you are forced to deal with the government and private, unlike BC where if you want you can just deal with ICBC or you can buy your basic from ICBC and the rest from private.

[dudlee]

Has anyone found that their family doctor and referred to Specialists are scared or reluctant to order tests and just blow off your requests for scans and testing? Are they scared of ICBC or are they getting kick backs ? One doctor told me that doctors are scared to be blacklisted by ICBC and worry about being played with by the OVERNMENT that pays them because they also control ICBC.

[Donald G]

To dudlee ...

Sounds like someone who did not like the findings of his/her doctor told you a bit of a story.

[dudlee]

To jimmy4321 ...

If you are happy with your private insurance company you should stay with it. But why would you go out of your way to knock ICBC if you have not used them for 7 years. Sounds like you have a (political?) axe to grind. I would like to talk to you about your private insurance coverage if you should be unfortunate enough to have to put in a major claim.

Llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Changing back from private to ICBC can be an experience as well . My buddy was told that due to his not insuring with him for 6 years he lost his 47% safe drivers , so he stayed private . ICBC won't allow the basic coverage to leave their control because of info reasons . They control all the stats in BC for drivers and they like it that way .

You're stuck with ICBC , plain and simple , if I can offer one piece of advice , because this is such a tourist town , please purchase third party under insured coverage , that way if an American or Albertan or other province people can't ruin your life . If you are hit by any , and I mean any out of province driver , ICBC will try every way to f:@$ k you over , they will tell you that you have to go after the other drivers insurer , even though your insurance was purchased with ICBC .

[my5cents]

Llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Changing back from private to ICBC can be an experience as well . My buddy was told that due to his not insuring with him for 6 years he lost his 47% safe drivers , so he stayed private . ICBC won't allow the basic coverage to leave their control because of info reasons . They control all the stats in BC for drivers and they like it that way .

You're stuck with ICBC , plain and simple , if I can offer one piece of advice , because this is such a tourist town , please purchase third party under insured coverage , that way if an American or Albertan or other province people can't ruin your life . If you are hit by any , and I mean any out of province driver , ICBC will try every way to f:@$ k you over , they will tell you that you have to go after the other drivers insurer , even though your insurance was purchased with ICBC .

A couple of points here:
- Changing back from private to ICBC - If what you say is correct, how is it that people who move here from other jurisdictions, including other countries, obtain a safe driver discount based on their driving in the other jurisdiction ? Me thinks your buddy is mistaken, or he had some claims.

- If you are hit by ..... any out of province driver, ICBC will try to screw you over (my words) - So, if your house burns down, what are the chances of putting the fire claim through you uncle's fire insurance ? Of course not you claim against the coverage that covers the house or in this case the liable driver.

You need a grasp on how insurance works. The liable vehicle should carry insurance (is required to by law) but if it doesn't then you need uninsured motorist protection. Why would ICBC cover a car not insured in BC for damage to your car ? If you have collision coverage, ICBC will cover the loss of the material damage under that and charge you your deductible, until money comes from the third party. ICBC will also cover your wage loss and medical under your no fault coverage.

I don't see how ICBC not paying you for an accident caused by someone from outside of the province is them screwing you around. They don't hold the policy on the vehicle that caused the damage/injury.

[Donald G]

To my5cents ...

ICBC offers Uninsured Motorist protection for something like $12.00 per year. I have it on my vehicles.

An extra three million (five million total) for a similar amount.

When I was hit by an unlicensed driver driving an unlicensed vehicle ICBC readily paid to fix my vehicle (it was parked). All I had to pay was the deductible. I would have had to sue him to collect the deductible.

[my5cents]

To my5cents ...

ICBC offers Uninsured Motorist protection for something like $12.00 per year. I have it on my vehicles.

An extra three million (five million total) for a similar amount.

Yes, I've got that and underinsured as well.

[Ken7]

One more time. I did co-operate with the adjuster up until the point he straight out told me he didn't believe the cop. me or my wife that this collision never occurred and her car was nowhere near where the incident happened. Even to the point of showing him the car that was supposedly involved with zero damage. Kinda just like trying to talk to you. End of story.

What are the chances that the color of your vehicle and the color of the offending vehicle were the same... this is odd.

[Ken7]

My update. I was asked by another ICBC adjuster to research injury case law, and send in what I felt was a fair and reasonable settlement for my claim of injury.

I did so and was told that my letter of demand had not been read. She would call in one week. I sent email advising I had to work when she suggested the call. I gave a more suitable day and said I would alter my schedule to meet hers. She never responded to email and never called. I think I need a lawyer, or this will not be dealt with.

Sadly, as a victim are they not supposed to represent you? I wonder how they would be if some Alberta driver had rear-ended me, would they go hard after Alberta Insurance?

Anyone have any lawyers they felt worked well with ICBC?

[my5cents]

My update. I was asked by another ICBC adjuster to research injury case law, and send in what I felt was a fair and reasonable settlement for my claim of injury.

I did so and was told that my letter of demand had not been read. She would call in one week. I sent email advising I had to work when she suggested the call. I gave a more suitable day and said I would alter my schedule to meet hers. She never responded to email and never called. I think I need a lawyer, or this will not be dealt with.

Sadly, as a victim are they not supposed to represent you? I wonder how they would be if some Alberta driver had rear-ended me, would they go hard after Alberta Insurance?

Anyone have any lawyers they felt worked well with ICBC?

It's actually complicated.

You are in a car accident that is the other vehicle's fault. You're both BC vehicles.

You go to ICBC and talk to an adjuster, we'll call that first adjuster "your adjuster" they will obtain your details, perhaps a statement. If you have ICBC collision insurance ("own damage coverage") "your adjuster" will be taking care of your car if it is a write off or un-drivable, (if it's not, it might be estimated and repaired directly by a body shop, overseen by an ICBC estimator). Your own damage coverage and (at this point they are still figuring out if you were at fault or the other vehicle was at fault) your public liability coverage are "contractual" with ICBC. "They are your insurance company"

Now, let's say the investigation is over and your ICBC adjuster and the other vehicle's ICBC adjuster agree that the other vehicle is 100% at fault. Now, if your car has already been fixed and you paid your deductible, the other adjuster will reimburse you for your deductible. Your ICBC adjuster will transfer the account for the repairs from your own damage coverage to the other car's public liability coverage.

Now the car part of this is over. But you feel you should get something for you pain and suffering. Now you are not in a "contractual" position with ICBC. The other car's adjuster, who is handling his public liability coverage and has actually paid for all the damages to your car, will be negotiating with you to settle the "bodily injury" portion of your claim. At this point even though you are "an ICBC customer" you are dealing with ICBC like you would any other vehicles insurance company, be it a car from Alberta or the US.

There is quite a distinction in law. While you are dealing with ICBC as "your insurance company" you are in a contractual agreement. You paid them $XXX.XX for a certain coverage and they have agreed to cover you. If they wrongly don't comply with the contract you can sue ICBC for "Bad Faith" or for "breach of contract".

If all the vehicle stuff is over and you were not at fault and ICBC, on behalf of the other driver, won't pay you what you think they should, you sue the other driver (and as a result of being his insurance company, ICBC) for negligence for the act that caused the car accident.

[Donald G]

To my5cents ...

Good clarifying comment regarding the initial issues. Thanks